Recently, various recording media have been developed, and high-density recording and the like have been increasing recording capacity. In developing a new recording medium, it is important to maintain compatibility with past recording media.
As a result of such a situation, various types of recording media coexist as recording media in one category (group).
Mini disks (MD: MINI DISC) now in widespread use will be taken as an example. Mini disks were originally developed for audio recording purposes. At that time, a reproduction-only disk on which data is all recorded by embossed pits on the disk and a recording and reproducing type disk were provided. The recording and reproducing type disk makes it possible for a user side to record music and the like by recording by a magnetic field modulation system using a magneto-optical disk.
Thereafter, a format referred to as MD-Data was developed to enable recording and reproduction of not only audio data but also data for computer use and the like. Further, a disk that handles data more widely and has achieved a significant increase in density (the disk is referred to as a “Hi-MD”) has recently been developed. In addition, a new disk of new disks that are referred to as Hi-MDs has been developed.
While these disks are different disks in a category of so-called mini disks, the disks are housed in respective cartridges of substantially the same shape and size. These disks are able to be loaded into a recording and reproducing apparatus (disk drive apparatus) supporting the mini disk.
However, there are of course conventional models as disk drive apparatus supporting the mini disk, that is, models supporting only conventional types of disks. While new types of disk can be loaded into the conventional models, the conventional models may be unable to write data in a new format or cause an operation error or data destruction.
Thus, it is necessary to at least prevent problems such as an operation error and data destruction in various combinations of various types of disks and disk drive apparatus developed in different generations.
For these reasons, the disk drive apparatus side is required to infallibly determine various types of disks in the same category. Conventional disk determining techniques are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 5-144165 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-321129, for example.
Also, it is necessary to eliminate problems caused on the newly developed disks in the conventional models.
Considering support of the conventional models, a problem of managing disk writing possibility (preventing erroneous erasure) is particularly significant.
In the category of the mini disk system, for example, detection holes for indicating whether or not writing is possible are provided to a cartridge. A user can open and close the detection holes to select a state of data writing being prohibited (an erroneous erasure preventing state) and a state of writing being enabled by operating a slider provided in the cartridge.
Incidentally, writing possibility detection based on these detection holes is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-96552, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 5-36234, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 5-144165, and the like.
In order to prevent the problems, it is conceivable that the new disks not supported by the conventional models of disk drive apparatus are set non-writable as viewed from the conventional models.
However, when a detection hole is used to make the conventional models recognize that the new disks are “not writable” at all times, disk drive apparatus as new models cannot use the detection hole for writing possibility determination. It is thus necessary to provide another detection hole for writing possibility determination. This in turn causes the new disk drive apparatus a difficulty in writing possibility determination based on the detection holes of the conventional disks.
Furthermore, adding a detection hole as the new disks are developed leads to addition of detecting means on the apparatus side, which is not desirable in terms of cost. It also hinders reduction in size and thickness.
Thus, for example, management of data writing possibility becomes difficult as disk types are increased. In addition, disk drive apparatus of course needs to determine various types of disks correctly and perform proper processing.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to enable correct disk type determination and proper writing possibility determination. The determination is performed without adding or changing a detecting device such as a switch or the like corresponding to a detection hole or the like for various types of recording media regardless of whether the disk drive apparatus is a new model or a conventional model.